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  1. #1
    Setting Up Camp
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    Refrigerator Housing - continued problems

    Hello all.... I need some input. I own the Reflection 303 and have had several issues with it. Most fixed under warranty.

    Current problem is the refrigerator - more the way it is secured in the housing area. So several months ago I noticed a crack in the freezer- it was on the inside, back of the wall. The dealer inspected and after speaking with grand design, they authorized the replacement of the refrigerator. Before the dealership replaced the refrigerator, I noticed the trim piece and screws were loose. This is on the out side of the refrigerator, on top. There are two screws that go through this trim piece and the top frame of the refrigerator, screwing it into the wood housing area.

    After the dealership replaced the refrigerator I went on a camping trip. When I entered the trailer I noticed the screws had come loose and the black trim piece was on the floor. So I returned to the dealer for repair. They rescrewed the refrigerator and trim piece back into the housing area - they prob used longer screws....

    Now the SAME problem has occurred - the screws have backed out again after a short trailering trip. This appears to be a terrible design flaw. How can you expect ONLY 2 screws are going to hold the refrigerator in place? I realize it is probably secured at the bottom of the refrig as well... but with movement of the slide and trailering - it appears to be way too much for 2 little screws to maintain. Now I would like to go on my trip in two weeks that will be a 2 week long trip over 1,000 miles. I called the dealership to try and make an appointment for repair, but they are over a month out for an appointment. When I made the call it was for repair of my rear landing stabilizers that went out this weekend. It was before I noticed the refrigerator issue. Not sure what went out with the rear landing stabilizers - they went down and just as they made contact with the base/ ground it made a noise and stopped working. Hopefully its a fuse ... if not the switch... but doubtful. and of course the motor is like 300 bucks....

    Anyway...has anyone had the same issue with the refrigerator / the screws / the housing....??? What was the solution you did or your dealer?

    Any help is appreciated
    Thanks for your time
    Ted

  2. #2
    King Pin
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    Just to be sure, I believe you have a 2015 Reflection 303? Is that the Atwood refrigerator? Maybe someone with an Atwood can take a look at theirs and help you with the refrigerator issues.

    As for the landing gear, the switch is the problem 99.9% of the time. I've had three of them fail, and always carry a spare with me. Until you get a new switch, you can use a jumper wire to move the landing gear. I've had very good success using this switch as a replacement:

    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

    The labels on the switch don't match the application, so I just used a black sharpie to hide them.

    Jim

  3. #3
    Seasoned Camper campinfool's Avatar
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    I had the same problem after I had my refrigerator replaced also. I made the repair by adding an additional board inside the cabinet where it screws into. I also added some chrome bell washers ( can't think of the proper name for them) so that the load was spread out over the plastic retainer strip as the screws seemed to want to pull through the plastic. While I had it apart I also added three additional screws to the top. We have over 10k miles on ours since I did the repair.

    Hope this helps.

    Jim
    Jim and Cal
    2014 Reflection 337RLS
    Ram 3500 5.9

  4. #4
    Long Hauler Canyonlight's Avatar
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    Ted--we had our Atwood fridge replaced in the fall of 2014 and have noticed no issues that your reference to or any others regarding the fridge mounting/screws coming loose, etc. concerns. While I did not look closely at the new install in 2014, for some reason, I thought our fridge had more than two mounting screws. Our 303 is in inside storage now but when we get it out in a couple months, will take a closer look......curious now.

    Dan
    Dan & Carol
    2014 303RLS Reflection #185 (10/2013 build)
    2012 Silverado LTZ Crew Duramax 2500HD
    2700/16K Pullrite Superglide

  5. #5
    Seasoned Camper campinfool's Avatar
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    Toes,
    Ours had two at the top and to on the bottom. The top is where the problem was on ours. From the factory it looks like they install screws on an angle into a 3/4 inch board which looked like Swiss cheese on ours which is why I added the additional board behind the front cabinet. I added a 3/4" x 1" board all of the way across the top of the opening. Glued and clamped with a couple of small finish nails to hold in place until it was dry.

    Jim
    Jim and Cal
    2014 Reflection 337RLS
    Ram 3500 5.9

  6. #6
    Long Hauler Canyonlight's Avatar
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    Thanks, Jim.....appreciate the information, will definitely take a closer look at ours. We've put on over 8000 miles since the fridge replacement including tugging around the Rockies in 2016.

    Dan
    Dan & Carol
    2014 303RLS Reflection #185 (10/2013 build)
    2012 Silverado LTZ Crew Duramax 2500HD
    2700/16K Pullrite Superglide

  7. #7
    Seasoned Camper
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    Tedrohedro - I feel your pain and agree with campinfool that it sounds like you will need to put in another board for the screws to "bite." My working assumptions is that the original trim board is really just "press-board" which is so easy to "strip" so that no screw will every hold.

    As far as the rear stabilizers, I agree with TucsonJim that it is most likely the switch. Mine died withing 6 months and like Jim, I now have a spare.
    Joe & Kim Procter
    2016 Refection 303RLS
    2011 Ford 250, 6.7L Diesel 4X4

  8. #8
    Site Sponsor Cate&Rob's Avatar
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    I had to tighten those top screws a couple of times on out original Atwood fridge as well . . . and I finally figured out why. I had to replace the fridge this season, but did the installation myself. The fridge is held into place by two screws at the front top, two screws at the front bottom and a few screws along the bottom at the back.

    The problem is that the cabinet that the fridge fits into is not perpendicular to the floor that the fridge sits on. This means that the front of the fridge is actually lifted and is hanging from the top two screws. These two screws go into cabinet trim particle board and are intended to keep the fridge in location, not carry significant vertical weight.

    When I installed the new fridge, I shimmed the front of the floor that the fridge sits on, so that the fridge fit flush to the cabinet all around before driving any screws. Problem solved.

    Rob
    Cate & Rob
    2015 Reflection 303RLS

  9. #9
    Site Sponsor John612's Avatar
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    Speaking of Atwood's, mine won't run on gas.
    -cycled switch many times.
    -lit the stove to get the air out of the line.
    -igniter is definitely sparking, I let it zap me.
    -pulled the orifice, its clean.
    -cycled on/off button, heard the clicking as it sparked.
    -unscrewed the burner, stuck a mini torch at the tip, it ignited for a second or two and then shut off
    -anyone know why the gas shuts off after a couple of seconds?
    John, Susan & Luke
    2015 Reflection 303 RLS #867
    Bakersfield, CA

  10. #10
    King Pin
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    Quote Originally Posted by John612 View Post
    Speaking of Atwood's, mine won't run on gas.
    -cycled switch many times.
    -lit the stove to get the air out of the line.
    -igniter is definitely sparking, I let it zap me.
    -pulled the orifice, its clean.
    -cycled on/off button, heard the clicking as it sparked.
    -unscrewed the burner, stuck a mini torch at the tip, it ignited for a second or two and then shut off
    -anyone know why the gas shuts off after a couple of seconds?
    The warranty on Atwood refrigerators is two years. Even if you're just a little over, I'd still give them a call and see if they can help you out.

    Jim

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